This invention relates to missiles and launcher apparatus therefor.
Some air-launched missiles, particularly a certain widely used missile, is provided with a series of upstanding slideway engaging members called `hooks` which, to fit the missile to an aircraft, are engaged with a slide rail forming part of a missile launcher station of the aircraft. On launch, the missile goes forward with the hooks sliding along the slide rail until they emerge one after another from the front thereof. Thereby the missile is released from the aircraft and continues off on its mission. The hooks remain fixed to and upstanding from the missile body.
To achieve good performance, modern missiles are designed so as to have very smooth low drag aerodynamic characteristics. The presence of upstanding hooks fixed to the missile in order to allow it to be fitted to the above described form of launcher station (which is desirable since, as noted, it is widely used), then becomes very significant as a factor reducing performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,314 is also concerned with the above problem and, for its alleviation, suggests the use of a missile to aircraft coupling head which is engaged in a socket-like recess in the missile wall and held there by a spring loaded key-bolt. When the missile has been released from the aircraft, the key-bolt is withdrawn from engagement with the coupling head and the latter is then ejected from the recess by an explosive charge. The key-bolt, the mechanism for withdrawing it from engagement with the coupling head, and the explosive charge for ejecting the head all have to be provided within the missile's body.